Netflix Is The New HBO

So unless you were sleeping under a rock yesterday, the Emmy nominations were announced, and while I get that not everyone is a die-hard television fanatic like myself, there is one thing you NEED to know: Netflix has two series nominated.
What’s the big deal you ask? Well, let me tell you…

Netflix isn’t your traditional television network. No, no, it’s an on-demand, streaming digital media service that just so happens to have started creating its own content, and this is the first time in history that a digital media service has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Awards. The fact that their content is even nominated proves just how big and powerful Netflix has become, but it’s not like we didn’t see this coming.

Netflix has been around since 1997 when I was discovering my infatuation for Buffy The Vampire Slayer and being told not to watch South Park because it was a horrible, terrible show for young boys to be watching. However, I digress…

If you take a good look at the evolution of the Netflix brand, you’ll see that every move they’ve made has brought them to this point. Starting with home delivered DVDs, the company has transformed itself into a comparable cable television network.

It’s no coincidence that Netflix’s recent success comes at a time when more and more Americans are “cutting the cord.” Cable providers’ prices are going up while America’s bank account remains steady somewhere between broke and bankruptcy (a moment of silence for Detroit). So it only makes sense that more and more cable subscribers are turning to AppleTV, Roku, and other similar devices to get the content they want instead. Netflix was just smart enough to capitalize on that by giving their audience original content. Thus, a star is born!

Part of that original content is Netflix’s Emmy-nominated House of Cards, Arrested Development, and Hemlock Grove (believe me, I’m just as confused as the rest of you about Hemlock Grove) as well as the recently added comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black.

House of Cards is, admittedly, a show that I have never watched, but the amount of attention the series has gotten is more than enough to convince me to give it a shot. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright star and are nominated for their performance in the series, going head-to-head with stars from other networks like HBO, Showtime, and AMC; a feat not easily accomplished.

Arrested Development was off the air for seven years before making its return in a completely different way, and just the announcement of its return caused a cult following fervor that we haven’t seen the likes of in decades. Its lead actor Jason Bateman is up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series placing him in competition with actors on other big name networks like NBC, FX, and Showtime.

I could talk about Hemlock Grove, but I’d just rather not, sooooo….

Orange is the New Black has been a pleasant surprise, and if Netflix continues to put out creative and high quality programming like this, more Emmy nominations could be headed their way.

It isn’t a stretch to say that Netflix is becoming more and more synonymous with HBO, but the only thing that could really put Netflix in that spot is more years of programming and iconic shows like HBO’s Sex and the City, The Wire, Six Feet Under, and of course The Sopranos.

This probably isn’t too far off after recent deals made with Disney and Dreamworks, giving Netflix access to classic and upcoming Disney and Dreamworks’ films, as well as even more original series with the help of Dreamworks. Indeed, Netflix doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, and if we can all forget that little mishap involving splitting the service in half two years ago, everything will be just fine.